Capture of Fort Dabhoi, Jan 1780

In December 1779 the battalion joined a field force under Brigadier-General Goddard to operate in Gujarat. The enemy forces led by Hyder Ali of Mysore, and Nizam Ali of Hyderabad were threatening the British Presidencies. Goddard’s column advanced towards Fort Dabhoi and prepared to storm it in the face of a 2,000 strong garrison. But the defenders did not put up much resistance and evacuated two days later on 20 Jan 1780. The battalion’s only casualty was Lieutenant Charles Reynolds who was shot in the thigh. He recovered and went on in later life to become Surveyor-General.

Capture of Ahmedabad, Feb 1780

Ahmedabad was a large city of 100,000 inhabitants, fortified by a long and thick wall, manned by 6,000 infantry, mainly Arab and Sindi, and 2,000 Maharatta mounted troops. The 10th Feb was spent reconnoitring the perimeter, causing some casualties, then General Goddard’s artillery opened up on the 12th. By the 15th they were able to storm a breach in the wall. Lt-Col Hartley led the Bombay battalions which included the European Regiment, the 8th Battalion NI, and the 5th Battalion. The casualties for the whole siege were 17 killed and 89 wounded. The city was captured and it was noted that ‘no excesses were committed and no more than two civilians were wounded.’

Capture of Mandwa, 1780

During the late summer of 1780 the field force was employed in the suppression of the Bheels and Grasias. The latter group were professional robbers and torturers, much feared by the local populace. They operated from the fortress of Mandwa which was considered to be impregnable as several attempts to assault the fort had failed. The attack was planned with great secrecy and the approach was made at night so that when the gates opened in the morning to let the livestock out, the Bombay Infantry stormed in and captured the place, apparently without bloodshed. The garrison was rounded up, but the chief escaped. Members of his family were taken with all the prisoners to Dabhoi. This had the effect of encouraging other robber chiefs to submit and pledge their good behaviour.

Operations Against Hyder Ali, Dec 1782

Hyder Ali, Sultan of Mysore, led an army of 90,000 against the British in retaliation for their capture of his port at Mahé. The Company directors at Bombay ordered a campaign into Bednore province and the capture of the port of Mangalore. This was to deprive Hyder Ali of his richest conquest and also to seize enough of his assets to pay the Bombay troops who were many months in arrears. While they gathered their forces for the campaign, news came that Hyder’s son, Tipu, had defeated a British force at Palghatcherry. So the field force, under Brigadier-General Mathews, set off with fewer troops than were actually needed. At this stage, only the two grenadier companies of the 5th Battalion were included in Mathews’ column of 300 Europeans and 1,000 sepoys.

Capture of Bednore, 28 Jan 1783

The field force made a forced march without the support of supply wagons, and after severe fighting and privation, made their way up the Husain Ghari Ghat and occupied Bednore on 28 Jan 1783. The main focus of the attack was the fort of Hyderghar at the top of the Ghat. The casualties were 50 killed and wounded. The enemy fled and prisoners were released, amounting to 350 Madras sepoys and 1,000 others. The treasure that was now in British hands had to be distributed amongst the troops but this was badly handled, causing discontent.

Capture of Mangalore, 9 Mar 1783

The rest of the 5th Battalion had remained at Surat but in Feb 1783 they joined the grenadier companies at Bednore. The following month the 5th and 8th Bombay Battalions were sent off to Mangalore, a fort occupied by Tipu’s men on the Malabar coast, 92 miles away. The fort was protected by mines, one of which exploded causing 80 casualties. General Mathews brought the main army up to reinforce the battalions and used his artillery to batter the walls. The fort surrendered so that storming the breach was not necessary. The 5th Battalion lost 9 men killed and 11 wounded in this siege. Mathews then went on to capture numerous small forts and garrisoned them with detachments. This reduced his capability so that when Tipu’s army of 12,000 arrived, the field force was ill-prepared for the onslaught.

The Surrender of Bednore, 28 April 1783

Hyder Ali had died in December 1782, and his son Tipu was now Sultan of Mysore. When his army overwhelmed the small force holding the Ghats, the fortress of Bednore was cut off and beleaguered. The 5th Battalion, as part of the garrison, was able to withstand the siege until Tipu established 13 artillery batteries commanded by French officers. There was a successful sally which knocked out the main battery and killed some Frenchmen and 100 irregulars, but the situation was hopeless and Mathews negotiated a surrender on 28 April. The garrison of 600 Europeans and 1,500 sepoys had suffered the loss of 500 killed or wounded. Under the terms of surrender the defenders were permitted to march to Sadashughar for embarkation to Bombay. They were to be given safe passage through Tipu’s territories, food supplies and proper conveyance for the sick and wounded.

Tipu’s Harsh Treatment of Prisoners 1783-84

The whole of the 5th Battalion were now prisoners of Tipu Sultan. The CO was Captain Richard Eames and his British officers were Lieutenants Wiseman, Nesbitt, Budden and Bateman. The Indians numbered 300. The battalion was confined in a ‘tank’, a dry reservoir, while Mathews, Eames and another captain were removed. They stayed in the tank until 1 May when they were searched and robbed, and marched back to Bednore. ‘The sick and wounded were thrown out of their doolies and subjected to the most inhuman treatment.’ The higher ranking officers, including Captain Eames were taken to Fort Caveldrug where they were subsequently poisoned. On 9 May the rest of the officers and the British soldiers were led out, chained together in pairs, and forced to march 128 miles to a prison at Chitaldrug. Their clothes were in rags and some had no boots. The heat was unbearable and the food almost uneatable. If a man succumbed to heatstroke, dysentery, or died, the man chained to him had to remain chained.

Tipu Sultan

As they went through villages, the inhabitants were coerced into coming out and hurling abuse at the humiliated prisoners. When, after 12 days, they reached Chitaldrug, there was some relief from the sun, but their confinement was one of unrelenting mistreatment and misery. They were kept in chains for 11 months during which time many men died. On 22 Mar 1784 the Treaty of Mangalore was signed which brought the release of the prisoners. The History tells of the treatment of the Indian soldiers:

‘The treatment of the Native Ranks was even worse than that from which the British suffered. They were informed that all their officers had entered Tipu’s army, and that if they would do the same they would be well paid and well treated. They were also informed that thousands of Madras sepoys were then serving in Tipu’s army… The sepoys of Madras, who had been taken prisoners with Colonel Baillie, generally formed part of the guard that was placed over [the Bombay troops]. Many of these, in order to display their loyalty and attachment to their new Sovereign, treated them with still more rigour than the natives. When persuasion was found to be of no avail, ill-treatment was resorted to.'

'The Indian officers, who were separated from the men, were threatened with death and mutilation if they did not transfer their allegiance. It speaks volumes for the loyalty of the Bombay troops that both the men and the officers remained true to their salt, and said they would undergo any hardship rather than enter the service of the enemy. As a result, the men were worked all day and every day as coolies, and at night were chained up with their hands bound behind them.'

'In the case of the Indian officers, their captors did not always stop at threats, as Subadar Mahomed Ebram Ajibald, of our battalion who repeatedly refused to serve Tipu, had his nose cut off. This loyal Sardar rejoined the battalion after peace had been signed, and was present with it at the fall of Seringapatam and death of Tipu in 1799; serving on until his own death on 20th June 1801.'

On 28 Mar 1784 the prisoners were marched to Madras, treated somewhat better but given just enough food to keep them alive. On 12 April they were met by Madras troops who gave them clothes and money, marched to Madras and embarked for Bombay.

Alliance of Britain and The Maharattas 1790

Maharatta Treaty

The third stage of the struggle against Mysore began after Tipu Sultan invaded and captured Travancore in southwest India. The Maharattas had lost territory to Hyder Ali, Tipu’s father, and were prepared to join forces with the East India Company, also with the Nizam of Hyderabad. A treaty was negotiated and signed by the Peshwa Madhavrao II and the Resident, Sir Charles Warre Malet on 1 June 1790. A Maharatta army was assembled, commanded by Paresram Bhow. The Bombay directors selected Captain John Little, CO of the 8th Battalion, to command the Bombay force, and gave him very strict instructions to follow Paresram Bhow’s plans whether he approved of them or not.

Siege of Dharwar, Dec 1790 - Apr 1791

Captain Little’s force was sent from Bombay to join up with the Maharatta army. They marched to Dharwar on the border of Mysore and attacked the city on 13 Dec 1790. The city was looted and burned by the Maharattas but there was still the well defended fortress to deal with. The Bombay force was not strong enough to capture the fort, and the Maharattas were not much help. So reinforcements under Colonel Frederick were sent out from Bombay, made up of the 9th Battalion under Captain Riddell, and the 2nd Battalion Bombay European Regiment. After some delay, they reached Dharwar on 2 Jan 1791. The grenadier companies of the 8th, 9th and 11th Battalions were formed into one battalion and put under the command of Captain Riddell.

Unsuccessful Assault, 5 Feb 1791

The artillery opened their barrage on the walls of the Fortress of Dharwar on 14 Jan but lack of ammunition meant that the firing stopped at night, thus allowing the defenders to repair the damage. The Maharatta artillery failed to concentrate their fire on one part of the wall so was ineffective. By 5 Feb, however, there was enough of a breach to make an assault. The 9th Battalion were given the task of going first to throw fascines into a ditch. This was to be followed up by the grenadiers and the rest of the British and Indian infantry. The Maharattas were supposed to make a feint attack to distract the defenders but, like most other arrangements made with the Maharattas, it failed to materialise. The attack began before dawn but the enemy were well prepared and opened up a tremendous fire with guns, mortars and rockets. The fascines caught fire, and the attackers had to keep their heads down. The assault was called off and the withdrawal was sounded. The total losses were 20 to 30 killed and 50 to 60 wounded. The 9th Battalion lost a British officer and 7 sepoys killed. Four Havildars and 16 sepoys were wounded, but the havildars, one naik and 8 sepoys died of their wounds. The enemy were using bullets that broke up on impact, like dum-dum bullets, so the chances of survival were slim. Lieutenant David Price was hit in the ankle and his leg had to be amputated, thus ending his military career.

Dharwar Fort Capitulation, 7 April 1791

The besiegers resorted to sapping, and while this was going on the officers hunted foxes, jackals, hares and partridges. Colonel Frederick, commander of the Bombay forces, became ill and died on 13 March but the siege continued and after completing the battery on 27 March, the walls were pounded for three days until the commander of the fort requested peace negotiations. Terms were agreed and the fort surrendered to the Maharattas on 7 April.

The March to Join Lord Cornwallis 1791

The 9th battalion marched back to Bombay on 12 April, but after 80 miles were ordered to return to Dharwar. Having reached there on 3 May they found that Captain Little’s force and the Maharattas had left to join Lord Cornwallis who was relying on the Maharattas for supplies. Cornwallis intended to besiege Seringapatam, capital of Mysore, so the 9th Battalion began a difficult march in that direction. The Monsoon had set in and the men had no shelter at night. Food was scarce because the Maharattas had burned and looted the whole route through Mysore, spreading far and wide. But the Bhow’s progress was slow and by the time a rendezvous had been made, Cornwallis had given up on the idea of capturing Seringapatam.

Hooly Onore, 21 Dec 1791

The Battalion spent a week in Bangalore to replenish stores and recover from the rigours of marching and the monsoon. When the rains had subsided the army marched south and reached the fort of Hooly Onore on 18 Dec 1791. A preliminary attack was made to establish the gun batteries during which the battalion lost an Indian officer and 4 sepoys. The assault was carried out by the 9th Battalion once the breach had been created on 21 Dec. There was a diversion which was so well organised that the assault was carried out smoothly without casualties. The fort was captured in time for the British troops to enjoy Christmas.

Battle of Simoga, 29 Dec 1791

Fort Simoga was under the control of one of Tipu’s relatives, and garrisoned by 8,000 troops with 10 guns. But this force left the confines of their fortress to take up a defensive position in thick jungle near the village of Gajnur. Their right wing was on the river Toom and their left on a steep hill thickly wooded. In front there was a deep nula. Captain Little commanded three battalions of infantry, the 8th, 9th and 11th Bombay NI.

Map of South West India

They, together with the Maharatta army, took part in a pitched battle on 29 Dec 1791. Paresram Bhow sent his son with a force of cavalry and asked Little to provide support, and to detach eight companies to guard the Maharatta camp. But the jungle made cavalry action impossible so Little took his own 8th Battalion to probe the enemy position. They came under heavy fire and many were killed or injured. The 11th Battalion attempted to help them but were held up by the deep nula. The 9th Battalion approached from the left to avoid the nula and were able to drive off Arabs that were forcing part of the 8th Battalion back.

The two grenadier companies of the 9th, under the command of the Adjutant, Lieutenant Moor, succeeded in crossing the water-filled nula near the river, and attacked the enemy camp. But they were counter-attacked and in danger of being overwhelmed by superior numbers. Fortunately Captain Little came to the rescue with men of the 11th Battalion and drove the enemy from the camp. Three of the ten guns were captured initially, and after a close pursuit they captured the other seven. The rest of the sepoys were now free to join in the routing of the enemy, and captured 300 horses, 1,000 bullocks and a large quantity of firearms. It was a brilliant victory, almost entirely due to the courage of the Bombay battalions. The contribution of the Maharattas was less effective, although they lost around 500 men. The total loss to the Bombay force was; one British officer killed and four wounded; the Indian officers and men lost 55 killed or wounded, mostly in the 8th Battalion. The enemy had left a small garrison in Simoga Fort, but they surrendered with the plea that they be prisoners of the Bombay troops rather than fall into the uncompromising hands of the Maharattas.

Tipu Sues for Peace, March 1792

The Maharattas declared their intention to seize the fertile district of Bednore despite the protestations of Captain Little who wanted to keep the army together. But they had to abandon the siege of the city of Bednore when they learned that Tipu was advancing towards them. Meanwhile, the Bengal army had joined up with the Bombay forces and posed a great threat to Tipu. Seringapatam was under siege for two weeks but this ended when Tipu sent word that he was prepared to negotiate a peace. He was forced to relinquish half his territory and ordered to pay 3 crores and 30,000 rupees. To ensure that he paid up, his two sons were handed over as hostages until payment was made. The Third Mysore War being over, the Bombay battalions marched to Cannonore and embarked for Bombay.

Each battalion was commanded by a lieutenant-colonel whereas previously the commandant had been a captain. Captain Tydd died in Bombay on 13 June 1796 and was replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Bellis who transferred from the 1st Bombay European Regiment and commanded the Battalion from 7 April 1796 to 21 Mar 1797.

A large force was needed to deal with the Raja and his followers, but assembling them from various regions took time. Colonel Dow chose Periah on the Western Ghats as his starting point in March 1797. A detachment of 200 men of 2/2nd Regiment under two officers, ascended the Ghats by the Karkur Pass and were attacked by thousands of Nairs. They were under attack for three days from 9 to 11 March and had to retreat. Their casualties were 38 killed and 76 wounded. The whole of Dow’s force had to make a fighting retreat from Periah, losing many killed and wounded including Captain W Brown of the battalion. The authorities in Bombay were obliged to agree terms with the recalcitrant Pyche Raja, although peace in the region was not restored, so that detachments from the battalion were constantly sent out to fight against insurgents.

Mobilisation Feb 1798

Tipu’s treaty with the British, signed in 1792, was broken when it became known that in 1798 he was using 100 French officers to train his army. The Governor-General, Richard Wellesley (2nd Earl of Mornington) decided to make a move against Tipu before French influence in India reached a dangerous level. War was declared on Tipu in February 1798, involving all three Presidencies. The Bombay army under Lt-General Stuart, assembled at Cannanore; three infantry brigades with engineers, artillery and pioneers. The 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment was brigaded with 2/3rd and 1/5th NI. The army, well equipped and supplied with food, marched from Cannanore on 21 Feb and established positions at Sidapur and Seedaseer. There was a battle at Seedaseer on 6 March in which 2/2nd regiment took no part except that their adjutant, Captain Sholl, attached for duty to the 1st Battalion of the regiment, was killed in action.

Siege of Seringapatam April - May 1799

Seringapatam 1799

On 16 April the Bombay army reached the area to the north east of Seringapatam, not far from where the Madras army had been camped since 5 April. There was a small hill to their front which was strategically important but was occupied by the enemy. This was captured and a battery established, but came under attack on 22 April. A few days later, General George Harris arrived to take command of the British/Indian army. Batteries were established on 2 May and a breach in the wall opened enough by 3 May. The timing of the assault was agreed to be 1pm the next day, the 4th May. Major-General Baird was chosen to lead the assault as years earlier, he had been kept in chains there as a prisoner of Hyder Ali. The troops chosen for the storming party included the grenadiers of 2/2nd Regiment commanded by Captain Robert Heath who later commanded the Battalion in 1805. Once inside, the sepoys were to turn left and right, and fight their way along the walls. The Bombay grenadiers were led to the left by Colonel Sherbrooke.

The fighting lasted two hours and when the British flag was raised above the walls, the guns gave a 21 gun salute. The Battalion lost one havildar and 4 sepoys killed. The wounded included Lieut Jeremiah Lock and Lieut John Barnard, one Subadar, one fifer and 8 sepoys. Tipu Sultan, himself was killed in the fighting, his corpse was found under a pile of bodies in the gateway on the north side of the fort. The troops spent the whole night looting and carrying off their booty to the camps. On the morning of the 5th May Colonel Arthur Wellesley was put in command, resorting to severe methods to curb the excesses, including flogging and hanging. The Bombay army left Seringapatam on 13 May and reached Cannanpore on 22 May.

Arthur Wellesley

The Pursuit of Dhoondia Wagh 1800

After the capture of Seringapatam many prisoners were found in Tipu’s stronghold. These were assumed to be his enemies and therefore friendly to the British authorities. Despite the danger these captives may have posed it was decided to release them all as an act of clemency. The most dangerous of these was Dhoondia Wagh, ‘an inveterate freebooter’. He was a former ally of Tipu as well as his father Hyder Ali, but had proved to be treacherous, and was imprisoned. On his release he went about raising a band of thieves which grew into a large army of 40,000 ‘increasing as it advanced, like a snowball.’ They plundered far and wide, creating enemies amongst the Maharattas as well as the British. The authorities appointed the Hon. Colonel Arthur Wellesley to lead a force tasked with stamping out Dhoondia Wagh.

Wellesley’s field force consisted of two brigades of cavalry and three infantry brigades. The 3rd Brigade contained the 2nd/ 2nd Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry (so named since 1796). The battalion was commanded by Captain Jeremiah Lock who had been wounded in the siege of Seringapatam. Also in the brigade were 2/4th Madras NI and 1/4th Bombay NI. The force assembled at Hurry Hur on 15 June 1800 and marched to Rani Bednore, a fort defended by Dhoondia’s men. This was captured without loss on 17 June, Captain Lock leading the escalade assault. They also took part in the capture of Fort Dammal on 26 July, but without casualties in the battalion. The pursuing army attacked the enemy camp on the south bank of the Malpurba river, killing many of them and capturing their booty, but Dhoondia and part of his army got away.

Dhoondia Escapes the Trap, August 1800

It was decided to make a sweep from west to east to trap Dhoondia Wagh between two rivers at the confluence of either the Gutpurba and the Malpurba, or the Kistna. The force split up to cover a wide area. The 3rd Brigade, containing 2/2nd Regiment, was commanded by Lt-Col Capper, and together with a force of 3,000 Maharatta cavalry, covered the south bank of the Malpurba. The Maharattas were requested to press on and watch those parts of the river that could more easily be crossed, but they stubbornly refused to do this, and when Dhoondia did cross the Malpurba, he was able to do so unnoticed, as Capper’s force was 20 miles away.

Fort Huli and Fort Seringhi, 22 Aug 1800

During these operations, the army’s baggage convoys had been attacked and robbed by men from the forts of Huli and Seringhi. These forts had avoided retaliation as Colonel Wellesley was focussed on catching Dhoondia, but as they lay on Lt-Col capper’s route, the opportunity was taken to capture them and deal with the criminals. Both forts were assaulted and captured by the 2nd/2nd Regiment on the same day, 22 August. Huli was stormed by the right wing of the battalion, using ladders, led by Captain Lock, without much trouble. Fort Seringhi, 8 miles away, proved more difficult. Pioneers were sent in with ladders but could not gain access to the wall, so some officers carried out the task. However, the ladders would not reach the top. The left wing of the battalion led by Lieut Adam Hogg, who later became CO in 1820, attacked the outer gateway and blew it in. But it was too narrow to take a gun carriage through, so the artillery carried the gun barrel and blasted the inner gate.

During the attack on Fort Huli, Jemadar Trimbakji Cutwali acted with great bravery and was rewarded with promotion to Subadar. The two assaults had cost Capper’s force the loss of 2 men killed and 35 wounded. The two killed were from the 2nd Battalion, a havildar and a sepoy. The Battalion also had 17 wounded; two havildars, two naiks, a drummer and 12 sepoys. Wellesley’s report applauded the Battalion for the two successful assaults; ‘…in which it appears that the troops under the command of Captain Lock and Captain Dickinson [CO of 1st/4th Regiment Bombay NI] have behaved with the same spirit which he [Col Wellesley] has had so frequently the satisfaction of observing and reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, and which has received his applause.’ The rest of the campaign depended on Colonel Stevenson’s cavalry brigade which eventually cornered Dhoondia Wagh, defeated and killed him on 10 Sep 1800.

The Havildar’s Redoubt, July 1803

Pyche Raja

The Raja of Pyche, or Cotiote (Pazhassi Raja) was still at large and causing trouble so the battalion was sent on active service in the Wynaad in early 1801. They were there for a year without much action and then marched to Cannanore. In 1803 the rebellion had spread into Malabar and the battalion was split into detachments to maintain communications through the jungle. One of the detachments under Lieutenant Nicholas Besnard occupied the Fort of Pyche which was attacked by rebels. The report of Colonel Montresor, commander of Malabar, had this to say:

‘I have since had an opportunity of ascertaining that the principal attack was on small redoubt adjoining the Post, in which a Havildar’s party was stationed, and as three Rebels were left dead on the walls of the Redoubt, and several others were carried off, the Havildar and his party must have conducted themselves with so much spirit and bravery that I think the circumstances deserving of being particularly noticed to you. The name of the Havildar is Dhonjee Kiljee of the 2nd of the 2nd, he is also a man of good private character.’

Major-General Arthur Wellesley, in command in Mysore, received this report and forwarded it to Bombay with a request to have the Havildar promoted to Jemadar. The battalion was subsequently sent to Goa to be ready for an expected French landing.

Service in Gujerat, 1804

In March 1804 the battalion sailed from Goa to Surat to join Colonel Murray’s Force. From there they marched into Gujerat where Holkar was posing a threat to the British Raj. Yashwant Rao Holkar was at that time the most powerful of the Maharatta rulers. The British had made the Treaty of Bassain with the Pashwa, the nominal head of the Maharatta Confederacy but there was discord amongst the rulers, and Holkar became the main enemy of the British. He pretended to be interested in having peace talks with Lord Gerard Lake but was playing for time while he gathered a large army. In April 1804 the Governor-General issued orders for Holkar to be attacked. A force of Bengal Native troops, commanded by Colonel William Monson, was sent out, and Colonel Murray’s force of Bombay troops marched to Baroda in Gujerat. The force was made up of two brigades; the first had one British regiment, the 65th, and two Bombay battalions: the 1st Grenadiers NI and 2/1st NI. The 2nd Brigade comprised the 86th Regiment and three Bombay battalions: 2/2nd NI, 1/3rd NI and 1/9th NI.

Colonel Murray’s force was not strong enough to fight against Holkar’s army of 40,000, and the C-in-C was reported to have suspended operations due to excessive heat. So Murray decided not to press on to Ujjain, but instead retire beyond the River Mahi. This had the disastrous effect of persuading Monson to retreat north to Agra. His column was relentlessly pursued by Holkar for 8 weeks under harrowing circumstances. Murray justified his lack of offensive action on the grounds that his under-strength force contained many untrained recruits, and that 500 men had deserted. However, he was ordered to advance, and occupied Indore on 24 Aug 1804. In October they set off and captured the fortified town of Tonk Rampura. In December Colonel Murray was replaced by Major-General Jones who had orders to take the column to join up with the main army.

Siege of Bhurtpore, 2 Jan - 10 April 1805

At the end of December 1804 there was a successful action against Holkar’s infantry near Fort Deeg but events there revealed that the Raja of Bhurtpore, who was supposed to be allied to the British, was actually in league with Holkar. After capturing Deeg the army marched to the fortified town of Bhurtpore, arriving on 2 Jan 1805. The circumference of the mud walls was 6 to 8 miles, strong and high with a deep ditch in front. When General Jones arrived with the Bombay battalions on 10 Feb there had already been two unsuccessful attempts to storm the place, on the 9th and 21st Jan. A third attempt took place on 20 Feb but was thwarted when the defenders sortied from the city and slaughtered many British troops who were trapped in a trench. The Bengal troops nearly succeeded but were driven back. The Bombay troops, led by Lt-Col Taylor, were led astray by their guide and came under heavy fire. All their scaling ladders were smashed and they had to take cover until ordered to withdraw. The assault had failed, but that night the artillery concentrated on a bastion and carried on with the bombardment all morning.

Fourth Assault on Bhurtpore, 21 Feb 1805

By 2pm on 21 Feb the breach in the wall was deemed to be assailable and the battalion was ordered to take part. The attack was launched at 4pm but the rubble had formed a steep slope that proved too much. The previous breach was attempted but the defenders threw down logs and flaming packs of cotton soaked in oil. Then pots filled with gunpowder were thrown ‘with terrible effect’. Captain William Imlach led the assault ‘in the most gallant manner’ and placed himself so that Havildar Harjee Israel could climb on his shoulders, but Harjee was killed. Then Havildar Nagojee Timblia risked life and limb by also climbing on the Captain’s shoulders. His attempt failed but he was later promoted to Jemadar. The assault was abandoned and the casualty tally was high:

British troops: 51 killed, 410 wounded
Indian troops: 56 killed, 355 wounded

The casualties in the 2nd/2nd Regiment Bombay NI were:
Killed; Havildar Harjee Israel and 4 sepoys.
Wounded; Captain Imlach, Lieutenant Thomas, one Jemadar, 2 Naiks, 13 Sepoys and one Bhisti.

Preparations were made for another attempt but news came of victories over Holkar’s forces elsewhere which prompted the Raja of Bhurtpore to come to terms with the British. On 10 April 1805 the Raja agreed to renounce all alliances with Holkar and other enemies of the British, and pay 20 lakhs of rupees.

Map of Kathiawar & Gujerat

The Force established a post at Gootoo where representatives of the chieftains of Kathiawar were required to attend for tax payment. While this was proceeding the Fort of Kadorna Ranaka, belonging to the Raja of Porbandar, was seized by the Jam of Nawanagar. The Field Force, in their capacity as peace-keepers, duly marched to the fort and initiated an artillery barrage but while a storming party of grenadiers under Captain Imlach was getting ready, the garrison of Arab defenders surrendered. The expedition returned to Baroda at the end of the year, and as the History says: ‘Although the promises to put down the practice of infanticide were not scrupulously kept, a beginning had been made of suppressing this inhuman practice.’

The Wahabis and Pirates of Muscat 1809

The Oman promontory that divides the Gulf of Oman from the Persian Gulf, at the Straits of Hormuz, was the point where the Wahabis and Joasmi (Al Qasimi) pirates were based. The Navy had been unable to prevent the capture of three British ships in 1807-8, and their activities covered a large area, extending as far as Gujarat. The Wahabis were a fanatical sect of Islam that originated in Iran in 1757 under the influence of Abdul Wahab of Hillah. The Joasmi pirates had been converted by the Wahabis and provided the fanatics with a source of income from the proceeds of their thievery. They were a thorn in the side of the Imam of Muscat, a friend of the British, and an expedition was organised to rid the region of these dangerous people. An expedition, commanded by Lt-Colonel Lionel Smith, was made up of the 65th Regiment and parts of the 47th, and two Bombay detachments, one being two companies of the 2nd/2nd Regiment NI, consisting of 4 British officers in command of 220 Indian troops. They had to take 6 months’ supply of food and stores which delayed preparations so that they could not set off until September 1809. Two Navy ships, 9 EIC cruisers, 4 troop transports and an old bomb ketch set off, but within 24 hours the bottom fell out of the bomb ketch so that much ordnance was lost.

Ras-el-Khaimah 11 - 13 Nov 1809

Destruction of Ras-el-Khaimah

Ras-el-Khaimah was the chief port from where the pirates operated. The Naval ships were unable to get nearer than four miles from the shore, although the cruisers and transports could get closer. After four hours of bombardment it became clear that the troops would have to be landed to make any impact. A diversion was organised at the entrance of the harbour while the main force landed to the south of the town. The troops had to wade through shoulder-high water, charging the enemy in heavy sand, and were finally successful in capturing the town. There were casualties among the sailors; 2 killed and 10 wounded. The army lost one killed and 10 wounded, while the 2/2nd Regiment NI suffered no serious casualties. They proceeded to destroy the town and burn the ships; 50 boats, many of which were large dhows. But after the troops re-embarked the pirates came down to the beach firing weapons and shouting defiance.

Laft, 27 Nov 1809

The fleet sailed towards the Persian side of the Straits and attacked Lingeh on 17 Nov, destroying 29 large dhows without opposition, but the next objective was Laft on the island of Qishm, which posed a greater problem. The Chief, Mullah Husain, at first agreed to surrender the pirate ships but changed his mind so that a force was landed, including a detachment of the 2/2nd Regiment. A heavy howitzer had to be dragged into place to blow the gate but they were fired on and had to retreat, leaving the gun. The Chief made another promise to surrender the next morning, but a further battle was expected. However, Lieutenant Hall of the Bombay Marine Battalion had swum ashore during the night to reconnoitre, and at daybreak could be seen on the battlements of the abandoned fort, waving a Union Jack. The force had lost 9 killed and 56 wounded. Out of that the 2/2nd lost 2 killed and 13 wounded. One of the wounded was named as Jemadar Solomonjee Israel. The Island of Qishm was used as a Naval base and coaling station by ships policing the Persian Gulf for more than a hundred years, until 1935 when the island was handed over to Persia.

Shinaas Fort, 3 Jan 1810

The Imam of Muscat agreed to provide land-based troops to assist in the attacks on Shinaas and Khor Fakan, two places west of Muscat that had been seized by Joasmi pirates. The fleet arrived off Shinaas on 31 Dec 1809 and after ineffectual bombardment the troops were landed the next morning, taking a week’s provisions. Heavy guns were brought up and a breach in the walls of the fort allowed a storming party to capture it. But a hard core of the enemy were holding out in two towers. These were attacked with grenades and battered with double shot. A ceasefire allowed the pirates to surrender before the towers collapsed. The troops provided by the Imam were keen to finish them off and had to be restrained by the British and Indian troops. The 2/2nd Battalion were employed in this battle protecting the flank from attack by Wahabi cavalry. Casualties were light but the Joasmis and Wahabis lost about 400 men. The destruction of Shinaas made it useless for the Imam to re-occupy and he was not prepared to subject Khor Fakan to the same treatment. It was not regarded as so important as Shinaas so a decision was made to leave it. Lt-Col Smith took the force back to Bombay where they were received with a 15-gun salute.

Bourbon, Mauritius & Rodriguez

Mauritius & Bourbon

For many years the French had attempted to replace the British as the European masters of India. French settlements in India had been supplied by ships that had used the Ile de France (Mauritius) and Ile de Bourbon (now called Réunion) as a pit-stop on the voyage across the Indian Ocean. Mauritius had been a Dutch colony since c1650; they named it after Maurice, Prince of Orange, the Stadtholder, but had vacated the island in 1712, allowing the French to occupy it and re-name it. Under the Revolutionary forces it was used as a base for harassing and capturing British trading vessels. French privateers were enjoying great success in the lucrative business of piracy. It was also an important link in the chain of communication between the Mysore government and Napoleon.

Rodriguez 1809

The Bombay government was instructed to send a force to Rodriguez, an island about 350 miles to the north-east of Mauritius. This was to be used as a military and naval base. The expedition left Bombay on 28 June 1809, consisting of 2 companies of the 56th (Essex) Regiment and 2 companies of the 2/2nd Bombay NI, and some artillery, all commanded by Colonel Keating of the 56th. The Bombay companies, commanded by Captain Imlach, were made up of four British lieutenants, four Indian officers, 10 Havildars, 4 drummers, 200 rank-and-file, and 39 followers. They took a huge herd of cattle, and sacks of seeds to establish a farming settlement providing fresh produce for the Naval base. But it was a rough voyage and most of the cattle died. They reached Rodriguez island on 5 Aug 1809 and found it very fertile, but sparsely populated, having only three French families and their slaves. They spent a month unloading the stores and building defences. The livestock situation was dire so Lieutenant Robert Seward of the Bombay battalion was sent to Madagascar to buy more cattle. While they awaited his return the seed sacks were opened to find that the crooked suppliers had filled them with pieces of canvas, and the seed potatoes had been eaten to counter the scurvy amongst the troops on the voyage. But the time was used to build houses, barracks and a hospital. Also Colonel Keating reconnoitred Bourbon in preparation for a surprise attack. He saw that the harbour of St Paul contained two richly laden British ships captured by the French privateers.

The Battle of St Paul, 21 Sep 1809

Battle of St Paul, Bourbon

It was imperative that a surprise attack had to be made soon to retrieve the two British ships, so three frigates were sent back to Rodriguez to bring troops. A force of 386 men, half from the 56th and the other half from the 2/2nd NI, reinforced 200 Marines and sailors on HMS Mereide. The enemy forces consisted of French soldiers, Creoles and local militia. At St Paul 110 French troops were still on board the ship that had captured the British merchant vessels. There were 300 Creoles also, however, the local militia were not considered to be a threat. The British force were put ashore on the evening of 20 Sep, at Pointe Dauphine (Pointe de Galets) 7 miles north of St Paul. Under cover of darkness they made their way towards their objective. They captured two of the French batteries, and the guns were used to fire at the enemy ships.

There was a third battery that seemed to be deserted by the French, so the troops from the Bombay battalion, under Captain Imlach were sent off to secure it. But on the way there they found themselves facing the entire French force of the island in a strong defensive position. Imlach ordered his men to charge, but without success, so reinforcements were sent in from the 56th Regiment. The fighting was very hard going so more men from the reserve were sent to their aid. This meant abandoning the other two batteries, but the extra manpower proved decisive and the enemy gave way. By 8.30am the town was captured and the rest of the day was spent destroying the French guns before re-embarking on the ships. More French and Creole troops were on their way from St Denis, so the British transferred men to landing crafts ready to return to the shore. But at daylight on 23 Sep it was found that the French had retreated back to St Denis.

A General Order published in Bombay on 2 Nov 1809 included these commendations, ‘The Governor in Council..feels the most lively pleasure in expressing his particular approbation of the conduct of Captains Forbes and Hannah of the 56th Regiment and Captain Imlach of the 2nd/2nd Regiment NI who commanded the columns on that occasion…The resolute conduct and spirited attack made by the Native Infantry of the 2nd/2nd on the French force, which they unexpectedly encountered on their march to one of the batteries, does them great credit.’ One Indian officer, Subadar Shaik Soloman, was severely wounded and had a special medal designed for him. And Havaldar Shaik Mohidee was recommended by Colonel Keating for promotion to Jemadar. The casualties were 2 men killed and 12 wounded. The booty from the captured town was great and the victory released the two British merchant ships and most of their cargo.

The Misfortunes of Rodriguez 1809 - 10

The base, called Fort Duncan, at Rodriguez was destroyed by a hurricane on Christmas Day 1809. All the building work was torn down, the stores ruined and small boats sunk. On the day after, the transport Eugenia returned from Madagascar. Lieutenant Seward had purchased 183 head of cattle and 216 chickens. But the voyage was disastrous; most of the cattle had died of starvation and heat, so that only 29 animals and 106 chickens survived. Everyone on board suffered from scurvy and the captain of the vessel had died, along with one sepoy and 28 cattlemen. Seward himself was very ill and had lost the use of his limbs. Colonel Keating wrote to Bombay suggesting that he ‘be appointed Bazaar Master and acting Chaplain as he will never recover from the effects of his voyage to Madagascar.’

The Invasion of Bourbon, July 1810

The force under Keating’s command was increased after the decision had been made to occupy the other islands. The Ile de Bourbon (aka Ile Bonaparte) was the next objective and the force was increased so that Keating now had 4 Brigades; 1,850 Indian troops and 1,800 British, made up from the 86th Leinsters, the 69th South Lincolnshires and Royal Marines, and some from the 56th West Essex. The Indian troops were from the 6th and 12th Madras NI and some detachments including men of the 2/2nd Bombay NI. The latter were in the 3rd Brigade with the 69th. The plan was to capture the main town of St Denis in a surprise attack so that the enemy did not disperse into the interior of the island which was mountainous and thickly forested.

The force left Rodriguez on 3 July 1810, and reached Bourbon on 7 July. The 1st Brigade landed at Grand Chaloup, 7 miles west of St Denis, and the other 3 brigades started to land at St Marie, 6 miles east of St Denis. But bad weather interrupted the disembarkation so that only 150 men had been landed before it became impossible to offload the rest. Meanwhile, the 1st Brigade, consisting of the 86th Regiment and detachments of the 6th Madras NI and Pioneers, had fought the main part of the French garrison, capturing two redoubts. The bulk of the force, meanwhile, had sailed round to Grand Chaloup to attempt a landing there, this time with more success, so that St Denis was now threatened by most of Keating’s brigades. The French commander capitulated and the whole island was now in British hands. The French troops were shipped off as prisoners to South Africa. The 2/2nd NI had suffered no casualties in this invasion, but the 86th Regiment and Indian soldiers in the 1st Brigade had lost one officer and 17 men killed, and 8 officers and 71 men wounded. The battle honour BOURBON was retrospectively awarded to the 4th Bombay NI on 20 Feb 1855. The island was returned to France in 1815 when hostilities ceased, and retained the name Bourbon until 1848 when it was changed to La Réunion.

The Invasion of Mauritius, Nov 1810

The decision to invade Mauritius was brought forward when it was reported that the French were sending reinforcements. A naval battle took place at Grand Port, on the south east of the island, which was hard fought but ended with a French victory. The new Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay army, General John Abercromby, was the son of the more famous Sir Ralph who was killed at Alexandria in 1801. He had been a prisoner of the French from 1803 to 1808 and was captured again when the frigate in which he travelled was apprehended, but he was rescued by Commodore Rowley’s flagship Boadicea. He assembled the invasion force at Rodriguez and they set sail in late November 1810. They arrived on 29 Nov and disembarked at Grand Baie, 12 miles from St Louis the capital. The 5-mile march through thick jungle was such hard going that a halt was made at the end of the first day. An officer of the 84th Regiment wrote about the conditions:

Invasion of Mauritius 1810

‘The day was extremely sultry and close, and not a drop of water was to be had. Captain Yates of the ‘City of London’ Indiaman, who came with the army for his amusement, was knocked up almost before we entered the jungle, and died on the spot, as did Lieutenant Dove of the 14th Regiment…. Notwithstanding that the march was only 5 miles… even our little Regiment were knocked up, although hardy dogs in general, and the Bengalese never suffered so much in their own country from fatigue and sun as they did in this.’

Abercromby was obliged to halt his men 5 miles short of their objective, such was their state of exhaustion. They took up a position at Moulin à Poudre, and the 3rd Brigade, containing the 69th and the 2/2nd NI were sent off on 1 Dec to capture two batteries and make contact with the Fleet. This was accomplished with little trouble, while the rest of the force advanced on St Louis. The French had formed two defensive lines, the first of which was charged and captured. There was a pause in the action as the two sides faced each other out of range of cannon shot. An uneasy night was spent, with false alarms causing casualties from indiscriminate firing. The next day, 2 Dec 1810, the French commander, General de Caen, surrendered. The French troops and their families were allowed to go back to France, but all their property was now in the hands of the British. A large number of ships were captured or reclaimed; 36 French, 5 British and 3 American vessels. The casualties were:

British Troops: Killed; 2 officers and 23 men. Wounded; 5 officers and 79 men. Missing; 14 men

Indian Troops: Killed; 2 men. Wounded; 8 men. Missing; One officer and 33 men.

The casualties of the 2/2nd NI were One Havildar killed and 2 sepoys wounded. The battalion returned to Bombay in April 1811 but left a detachment under one officer at Rodriguez where they remained until 24 May. Rodriguez was handed over to a French Governor after destroying the British base, Fort Duncan, and shipping the stores to Mauritius. The battalion were highly praised for their service over a period of two years against the French, “…their character as soldiers has been conspicuous for good order and gallantry.” Captain William Imlach was promoted to major and appointed CB. Oddly enough there was no battle honour for Mauritius.

Sickness in Kathiawar, 1814

The battalion spent 3 years in Poona, until February 1814 when they were ordered to Baroda. There they joined the Kathiawar Field Force, commanded by Colonel Holmes who was the CO of the Gaekwad’s Subsidiary Force. The Field Force made its way to the area close to the Rann of Kutch to hunt down the marauding gangs of Wagurs that were terrorising the local population and laying waste the countryside. This operation was hard work in hot weather, and later in heavy rain.

When the rains ended the sickness began. On 4 Oct 1814 Major Imlach sent a message to Bombay calling for an extra doctor and saying that all the officers except for him were sick with fever, and that 400 men were out of action. A week later he wrote to say that he himself was now sick and that the assistant surgeon and both Indian doctors were not likely to live, and that 500 men were incapacitated. A reply ordered the battalion to move to Juria Bandar and embark for Varsovah where they spent two month recuperating. How they managed to travel with so many sick men is not explained. The death toll from sickness included 5 British officers, 3 Indian officers, the Fife Major, 7 Havildars and 103 men.

The Rann of Kutch, 1815

The two grenadier companies of the 2/2nd NI were ordered to Baroda in November 1815, to join a Flank Battalion as part of a large force assembled to make a greater effort to eliminate the Wagurs. The Rao of Kutch was known to be in league with the gangs, profiting from the huge fortune they had amassed from their thieving. The Rao was sure that the British army would not be able to cross the treacherous salt marsh of the Rann.

The force was made up of 6,000 men, commanded by Colonel East. His orders were to punish the Rao of Kutch and break up and exterminate the bands of Wagurs. The crossing of the Rann was made in December 1815, a vast expanse of mud, 10.25 miles wide, having a fairly firm crusty surface which was salty and white with soft mud underneath. The cavalry and infantry were able to get across in three and a half hours, but the guns and wagons were man-handled with difficulty. On the other side, the forts of Anjar and Bhuj had to be captured. The usual procedure was that the Rajas of the fort would initially refuse to surrender, then after the army had toiled away at constructing gun batteries, and were preparing the assault, they submitted. Operations in the region of Kutch were officially completed on 4 Jan 1816.

The Subjugation of Okhamandal 1816

Colonel East now concentrated his efforts on the Wagurs. Leaving a part of his force in Kutch to assist the Political Officer there, he marched eastwards towards the strong fortress of Kuntkote. This was regarded as a major centre of the criminal gangs in the region and presented a formidable undertaking. However, having begun the siege on 3 Feb 1816 the defenders absconded during the first night. Some were caught but the rest had to be hunted by small parties and it was not until 16 Feb that the district was reported to be cleared. The force then had to re-cross the mud flats of the Rann and march west to Okhamandal on the tip of the Kathiawar peninsula. Various forts surrendered on the way but the fort of Dinki refused. This place was surrounded by a belt of cactus, 500 yards in depth. A day and a half was spent clearing approaches, enabling the assault to be made. Dinki was finally captured, with the grenadier companies of the 2/2nd Bombay NI having lost one man killed and two wounded. The force moved on to the city of Dwarka on the coast which was captured on 2 March 1816. The last objective was the island of Beit where the leader of the Wagurs resided. This was captured on 7 March, and the leader killed. Okhamandal and Kathiawar were now under the control of the Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda.

The grenadier companies of the 2/2nd Bombay NI had been serving in Gujarat as part of a Flank Battalion which became part of the Bombay Division under General Grant-Keir assembling at Baroda. On 4 Dec 1817 the division marched north, and on 24 Dec the battalion was detached along with the 17th Light Dragoons to join General Malcolm’s Deccan Army which was pursuing Holkar after his defeat at Mahidpur. After a hard 5-day march they reached Malcolm’s force at Sita Mhow. Holkar was caught, and a treaty was agreed on 6 Jan 1818. The flank battalion and the 17th then rejoined the Bombay Division and pursued Chethu’s band of Pindaris. After some long and harassing marches the flank battalion and the 17th successfully confronted the Pindaris at Mundapi on 9 Jan 1818 in which around 100 of the enemy were killed. In February 1818 they operated in small parties on the eastern border of Gujarat and were ordered to relinquish their knapsacks so that they could move faster. They had little rest in this period, but by 22 Feb they were reunited with the division and helped to establish authority in Indore after Holkar’s defeat.

The 2/2nd Bombay NI Battalion Companies

While the grenadiers were on detachment, the other companies of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment Bombay NI were based at Chauk protecting the Malwan district. They worked in difficult terrain, broken by ravines and covered with thick jungle. Roads had to be cut for easier movement of troops, but Pindari raids from Sawantwari continued. It also transpired that Peshwa Baji Rao II was working with the Pindaris while at the same time pretending to cooperate with the British.

Fort Seedgarh, Jan - Mar 1818

Lieutenant-Colonel Imlach was officially CO of the battalion in 1817, having been detached the year before as commander of the 2nd Brigade in the Poona Field Force. After obtaining the reluctant permission of the Bombay government to attack Seedgarh, Imlach took it upon himself to capture this Maharatta fort without help from other units. On 16 Jan the battalion with a strength of 300 left the camp at Cutta. They were accompanied by an artillery officer and two small field guns. The march to the fort was through thick jungle, and when it was reached Imlach called on the garrison to surrender. His offer of terms was rejected and, after spending a day clearing a 3-mile track for the guns, a few rounds were fired without effect. The next day more artillery fire did little damage to the walls and the battalion had to withdraw. Information was received that 500 enemy troops were approaching, so the battalion returned to a safe position, and Imlach requested reinforcements and more powerful guns. The guns were delivered but no more troops were allowed. However, the 89th Regiment had disembarked at Malwan, on their way to Bombay, and were near enough to be called upon to help the battalion. A renewed attack began on 8 March and by the 10th the walls of the fort were breached and the enemy surrendered.

Fort Bhagwantgad, March 1818

Fort Bhagwantgad was built on the north bank of the 400-yard-wide Kalaval Creek. The assault guns were set up on the south bank but the range meant that they were ineffective. So the battalion was split into two wings to cross the creek at two fords. They were led by Captain Charles Gray of the 2/2nd and Captain Edward Pearson of the 1/8th NI who was on attachment. The enemy, numbering 600, had obligingly come out of the fort and were deployed on the north bank. The impetus of the battalion’s charge from two directions caused them to panic and disperse. The fort surrendered on 29 Mar 1818. The battalion was again split into two for further assaults, one on Ramargh which surrendered to Captain Pearson on 6 April and the other to Deogarh Fort which was captured by the companies under Lt-Col Imlach on 8 April. The district of Salsee was then declared cleared of enemy forces.

Viziadrug Fort, April 1818

Viziadrug Fort

The Commissioner of the Deccan, Mountstuart Elphinstone, in line with his policy of annexing Maharatta territory, wrote to the Killadar of Viziadrug (Gheria) Fort, instructing him to hand the place over to Captain Pearson. This was an important base for the Maharatta ships. It had been captured by the British in 1756 but handed to the Peshwa in exchange for Bankot Fort. Pearson embarked 100 men on two naval ships which anchored offshore while a small boat was sent to explain how the takeover was to happen. But the Killadar answered by opening up a heavy barrage on the ships. The fort was garrisoned by a large force and had 300 guns. The ships moved out of range and the battle resumed a few days later on the Deogarh river. The defenders of Viziadrug had emerged and built a stockade on the banks of the river. On 19 April a party of 60 men of the battalion under Captain Samuel Hughes was sent over the river before dawn. A diversion was organised by Marines so that Hughes’s men were able to take the enemy by complete surprise. The defenders lost 25 men killed and wounded and several prisoners were taken. Hughes’s men suffered no loss.

Rajapur District Cleared, 1818

Lieutenant-Colonel Imlach was ordered to clear the district of Rajapur in which Viziadrug was situated. The grenadier companies had returned from their detachment in Baroda, and were reunited with the 2/2nd Bombay NI. Imlach led his strengthened battalion on a successful campaign in which the forts of Viziadrug, Esswantgarh, Ombegarh, Karriapatam, and Rajapur were captured and occupied. They then returned to Chauk before the Monsoon.

Campaign in Sawantwari State 1819

Major-General William Grant Keir, on the Bombay staff, commanded a field force in Sawantwari State, consisting of the 89th Regiment, the 2/2nd NI, 2/6th NI and 2/9th NI. They set off on 31 Jan 1819 and came to Fort Newty on 2 Feb. There were advance piquets of the enemy which were driven back by Lieutenant William Spratt and a detachment of the 2/2nd which involved crossing the river at Bogi under fire. The assault was preceded with the usual construction of gun batteries and last minute surrender of the garrison on 4 Feb.

Assault on Fort Raree, Feb 1819

The next objective was Fort Raree which the Force reached on 10 Feb. The guns blasted a breach by 13 Feb, and the grenadiers of the four battalions, commanded by Lt-Col Clifford of the 89th succeeded in overwhelming the defenders. But there was an inner fort to be breached. Some progress was made when two officers of the 89th got into one of the towers but the walls needed to be climbed. This was finally managed by nightfall and the garrison surrendered. The total casualties were 8 killed, 25 wounded, of which the 2/2nd lost one Havildar killed and nine men wounded. For two and a half months the force was split up to patrol the region and round up any Pindaris. By the beginning of May their task was deemed to have been done and they returned to Chauk.

Havildar Baboo Surwah

At the beginning of the Third Maharatta War some men from the Bombay battalions were away on leave at Bancote. They were unable to return to their units so were temporarily attached to Colonel Kennedy’s force operating in the Concan. Havildar Baboo Surwah of the 2/2nd NI was in command of other men who had been on leave, defending the village of Kelole. They came under attack from a large force of Pindaris and successfully fought them off. The Havildar was highly praised for his leadership and bravery, and promoted to Jemadar.

Map of Oman

Background

After the Persian Campaign of 1809-10 to eliminate pirates, the EIC shipping had enjoyed safe passage for a few years, but the trouble started again, and by 1818 there were estimated to be 7,000 pirates on 64 ships controlling the Arabian Sea from the Persian Gulf to Kathiawar and Kutch. In 1819 a force under Sir William Grant Keir captured and destroyed several criminal strongholds, leaving a Bombay regiment (1/2nd) and 8 guns on the island of Qishm. However, one tribe of miscreants was especially powerful and ferocious; they were the Beni Boo Ali (Sons of Ali), based on the eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula in the Jalan district of Oman. The Political Agent in the Gulf, Captain Thompson of the 17th Light Dragoons, naïvely assumed he could negotiate with them, and proceeded to their base on the HMS Mercury. As the sea was too choppy to launch a small boat, he sent a man who was prepared to swim ashore, probably at Al Ruwais, with a letter. The outcome was as tragic as it was predictable; the poor man was cut to pieces.

Thompson’s Badly Planned Attack, 1820.

Thompson went to Qishm island, picked up six companies of the 1/2nd Bombay Regiment and their 8 guns, and sailed down the Gulf of Oman to Sur where he was reinforced by 2,000 men from the army of the Imam of Muscat. From there he marched 60 miles to Balad Beni Boo Ali (Place of the Sons of Ali). But they found themselves heavily outnumbered and Thompson’s lack of strategy was severely punished. They lost the 8 guns, and 270 were killed, including six British officers. The survivors retreated to the coast and went back to Qishm.

Major-General Smith’s Campaign, 1821

The grenadier companies of the 2/2nd Regiment Bombay NI were ordered to Bombay where a force was being assembled under Major-General Lionel Smith, an experienced Gulf campaigner. There was one British regiment, the 65th (2nd Yorks, later the York & Lancs) with a strength of 460 men. They were brigaded with the 1/7th Bombay NI who in 1824 were designated 13th Bombay NI (113th Infantry in 1903). The rest were Bombay units including the 1st European Regiment (103rd Royal Bombay Fusiliers, in 1881 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers) . One battalion was made up of the grenadier companies of four Native Infantry battalions, one of which was the 2/2nd NI. There was also 1st Troop of Bombay Horse Artillery Battery with 12-pounders, and 2nd Bombay Foot Artillery with two 18-pounders. The grenadiers of the 2/2nd embarked at Malwan on 19 Dec 1820, arriving at Bombay on 24 Dec. The whole force left Bombay on 11 Jan 1821 and sailed to Sur, arriving on 27 Jan, where they were provided with camels and troops by the Imam of Muscat. They marched to a camp 2 miles inland.

Attack on the Camp, 10 Feb 1821

On the night of 9/10 Feb the camp was attacked by 500 tribesmen from the Beni Boo Ali. The attack took the force by surprise as the piquets had been ordered to carry unloaded muskets to avoid false alarms. The Bombay European Regiment was the worst hit in this attack, losing one officer, Captain Parr, and 9 men killed, as well as their bhisti. But the enemy, who were armed with spears and heavy swords, were beaten off, losing 12 killed and 20 wounded. The 2/2nd NI grenadiers had been relocated to join the 1/2nd, the battalion that had been posted to Qishm and was part of Thompson’s expedition. This battalion lost 3 men killed and 6 wounded in the attack. The camels had been scattered and it took several days to collect them all.

Belad Beni Boo Ali, 2 Mar 1821

The force of British, Indian and Omani troops needed to move quickly so that the Beni Boo Ali would not have too much time to prepare for an attack. To this end the tents were left behind, as well as the 18-pounder guns, and the men put on reduced rations. The march was through difficult country with very little water, and the men suffered greatly. They reached the fortified town of Belad Beni Boo Ali on 2 Mar 1821. Shots were fired from the town but the battle took place near a grove of date palms two miles away. Arabs occupied a defensive position there and the 2nd Brigade were ordered to attack. This brigade contained the 65th and the 1/7th Bombay NI. Their light companies were in front with the 65th behind and the 1/7th at the rear. Two Horse Artillery 6-pounders were placed, one on each flank. As they approached, the Arabs suddenly rushed out of the palm grove and, even though they were under fire, managed to get between the two regiments. The 65th Regiment turned about, fired on them and charged with the bayonet, while the 1/7th NI fought them off, and the guns fired grapeshot at them. This phase of the battle lasted 15 minutes during which the tribesmen lost about 200 killed. The casualties of Smith’s force were 201 killed or wounded, nearly all of which belonged to the 65th or the 1/7th NI. The grenadier companies of the 2/2nd had no casualties.

The main stronghold of the Beni Boo Ali was the next objective and as the two brigades prepared for a siege a white flag was seen to be hoisted on the walls, but they were not prepared to give up their weapons, so the guns were brought up to batter the walls for an assault by the 1st Brigade , which contained the grenadiers of the 2/2nd NI. However, the Arabs were reported to be escaping from the rear of the fort, so men were sent round to intercept them. They arrested 236 prisoners of which 96 were wounded. The chief, Mahomed bin Ali and his brother, Kadeem bin Ali were both amongst the wounded prisoners. The guns that had been captured from Captain Thompson’s failed attack the previous year, were retrieved. The battle honour BENI BOO ALLI was authorised on 11 Feb 1831.

Rifle Brigade 1845

Lieutenant-General Thomas McMahon, who was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army in 1839, was strongly in favour of Light Infantry and Riflemen, not just as companies added on to Infantry battalions but as a separate Corps. He selected the 4th Regiment NI to be the first Rifle Corps in the Indian Army. The CO of the 4th BNI, Major Charles Crawley, published a regimental Order, dated Baroda, 24 May 1841:

‘His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief with the concurrence of Government having directed the regiment to be organised as a Rifle Corps, armed and equipped with rifles, and styled the 4th Regiment N.I. or Rifle Corps, by General Orders of the 4th May 1841, it is so styled accordingly, and all arrangements to give effect to this order will be entered upon without delay.

‘Major Crawley most cordially congratulates all ranks on this happy occasion, and feels assured that they, in an equal degree with himself, fully appreciate the great distinction thus conferred upon them; this honour has been gained by a long series of untarnished services in the field, and tho’ less brilliant, no less important, undeviating good conduct, steadiness, discipline and habits of subordination in quarters.

‘It is the first distinction of the kind that has ever been bestowed on Native Troops of the Indian Army, and this proud tribute holds up the 4th Regiment N.I., or Rifle Corps, as an example to be imitated by all others.’

The practicalities were harder to put into effect, however, as there were no rifles to be had. The Directors of the Bombay EIC had to apply to Britain for arms and equipment, ‘be made up precisely the same pattern as those now in use in Her Majesty’s Rifle Brigade.’ These items arrived in 1842 and the next few years were spent in Baroda training the men in the new arms and manoeuvres. They also had to learn the meaning of each of the bugle calls. Their training was further improved in 1847 when they were posted to Karachi and spent 18 months with the 60th Rifles.

The Bombay Division 1848

The Bombay army assembled at Rohri on the east bank of the Indus opposite Sukkur. The 4th Regiment left Karachi on 26 Oct and arrived there on 19 Nov covering 332 miles in 25 marches with only 2 days halt. Brigadier-General Henry Dundas commanded the Bombay Division and would be second in command at the siege of Multan under Major-General Whish. The Division was composed of 2 Brigades:

Plan of Attack on Multan

1st Brigade under Brigadier Capon:
60th Rifles
3rd Bombay Native Infantry
9th Bombay Native Infantry
3rd Troop Bombay Horse Artillery
Bombay Sappers and Miners
Scinde Irregular Horse

2nd Brigade under Brigadier Stalker CB
1st Bombay European Fusiliers
4th Bombay Native Infantry, Rifle Corps
19th Bombay Native Infantry
Bailey’s Battery RA
Bombay Lancers The Division set off from Rohri by brigades, the 2nd leaving on 29 Nov, two days after the 1st. They met up with the Bengal Force on 21 Dec at Suraj Khund. Herbert Edwardes wrote in his book A Year on the Punjab Frontier 1848-49, that ‘.. they had been long looked for and our soldiers crowded out to welcome them as they arrived in Camp. They were the first troops of the Bombay Army which I had ever seen, and I beheld them with admiration.’

Sidi lal ki Bed, 27 Dec 1848

General Whish’s strategy was to make a four-pronged attack on the defended positions outside the city walls of Multan, advancing from the east and the south. The 4th Bombay Rifles were in column C with one wing of the Bombay European Fusiliers, some lancers, sappers and a light gun battery, given the task of capturing a mound called Sidi lal ki Bed. The column was led by Brigadier Henry Dundas and Major Honner. The 4th NI had a strength of 748 Indian ranks, 15 British officers and a sergeant-major. They advanced at noon on 27 Dec and formed into extended order facing the mound and a mosque to the left. After a few artillery rounds were fired at the mound, the 4th were ordered to drive the enemy from the mosque and another building where the enemy had two guns. The Fusiliers went to the right of the mound and the 4th to the left. The enemy vacated the mosque and their position on Sidi lal ki Bed, and fled to the suburbs south of the city.

The worst of the fighting took place in the streets of the suburbs. Skirmishers of the 4th on the left found themselves in a maze of buildings and up against overwhelming numbers of enemy that included cavalry. One section managed to enter the city, but did not get far. The greater part of the regimental casualties occurred in the suburbs, and they soon ran out of ammunition. The recall was sounded and they retreated under covering fire from the Fusiliers. The regiment occupied the garden at the Biji Bagh until relieved by the 19th NI, and then bivouacked for the night. They had lost 19 men killed, 19 wounded, and 18 missing, taken prisoner.

Repulse of the Sortie, 29 Dec 1848

The infantry took turns to occupy the suburbs over the next three days to cover the construction of batteries. On 29 Dec the 4th Bombay Rifles were positioned between the two mounds, Mundi Ava and Sidi lal ki Bed which was occupied by the Irregulars. The enemy sortied out of Multan on that day to attempt the recapture of Sidi lal ki Bed. The left of the 4th’s line was involved in heavy fighting which resulted in the sortie being repulsed and the loss of two riflemen killed and three wounded.

Explosion in Multan

Explosion in Multan, 30 Dec 1848

The Sikhs suffered a catastrophic loss on 30 Dec when a shell from one of the artillery mortars struck the Jumma Masjid (Great Mosque), and another hit their main gunpowder magazine. The result was a terrific explosion which killed and buried nearly 1,000 people and destroyed a huge quantity of stores.

The Storming of Multan, 2 Jan 1849

The Storming of Mooltan

The original plan had been to attack the citadel first and leave the city of Multan until later, but General Whish now decided to secure the city first so that the stronghold of the citadel could be assaulted from all sides. By the morning of 2 Jan 1849, two breaches in the city walls were reported to be practicable. The Bengal column was ordered to storm the breach near the Delhi Gate on the east side, while the Bombay column was to storm the breach near the Khooni Burj (Bloody Bastion) on the southeast corner. The three Bombay regiments of the 2nd Brigade paraded at 1pm and marched to Mundi Ava. One company of the 4th Rifles was detailed to carry scaling ladders. At a point 200 yards from the breach they waited for the signal to assault.

The Fusiliers were the first to climb the rubble to the breach, and were held up by the defenders’ stiff resistance. The 4th Rifles were in support but Major Honner led the regiment up a mound to the right and they were able to rush to the help of the Fusiliers. The storming was made easier by covering fire from the Bombay artillery and fire from the 60th Rifles. The Fusiliers suffered heavy casualties whilst storming the breach, and also once they were inside, as the Sikhs had dug a trench and built a stockade to stop the attackers. But these obstacles, having been overcome, the enemy were pursued through the streets as far as the walls on the west side. The 4th Rifles advanced towards the Grain Market in the middle of the city. Regimental HQ was established near the Bohur Gate and they bivouacked there for the night.

Edwardes’ Irregulars 1849

The Night of the Occupation of the City, 2 - 3 Jan 1849

The capture of the city meant that prisoners could be released, including the 18 riflemen of the 4th who were captured on 27 Dec. During the night there was an attack made on the Harun Gate by a party of 30 Fusiliers and 50 of the 4th Rifles. A brass gun had been firing grapeshot at one of the guard posts set up nearby, causing casualties. The attack was successful and the gun captured. The regimental surgeon David Ritchie was involved in this attack, as he was in most of the action that day and night despite a bullet injury to his ear. The other incident that occurred that night was an explosion at the Bohur Gate where sappers were working to clear the gates. Many Indian soldiers were killed or buried alive in the blast. The city was generally a scene of horror, with dead piled up, half burned or half eaten by dogs, and the next morning the stench was appalling, and flies swarmed everywhere.

The Assault on the Citadel, 4 - 22 Jan 1849

The regiment was relieved by the 60th Rifles on 3 Jan and marched to their camp southeast of the city. The next day the 2nd Brigade moved to Hazari Bagh on the northwest of the citadel. Batteries and trenches were prepared by sappers and pioneers, for which the 4th Rifles provided protection by exchanging fire with the defenders. Eight men were wounded in this daily duty. Mulraj was holding out with around 5,000 men but their supplies were running short so peace talks were started. General Whish insisted on an unconditional surrender which was finally conceded on 22 Jan 1849. This day marked the end of the siege of Multan. The 4th Bombay Rifles had sustained casualties of 29 killed and 74 wounded. The battle honour MOOLTAN was awarded to the regiment on 8 April 1853.

Aftermath of the Siege

Bombardment of Multan Citadel

The bodies of Vans Agnew and Lt Anderson were retrieved and given a ceremonial funeral, and on 22 March a man was publicly executed for their murder, named as Gudhar Singh, a Mazbi Sikh. The 4th Rifles had been disappointed to be ordered to stay behind as a garrison while the rest of Whish’s force marched to Gujrat in north Punjab where the decisive battle of the Second Sikh War was fought on 21 Feb 1849. However, the infantry did not play a significant part in this ‘Battle of the Guns’. The 4th were at Multan when heavy rain in August caused the Chenab to overflow and the area became a sea of mud. They were obliged to leave their camp and stay in the citadel which was hot and unhealthy. At one time there were 500 men sick with fever. This state of affairs lasted until mid-November. They left Multan on 24 Dec and sailed down the Chenab, Sutlej and Indus, then by sea to Vingourla in the Concan. They marched to Belgaum where they were stationed for 3 years.